Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1887-02-03
CHARACTER IN WALK.
Peoples Feet Sure Indication Of Their
Temperament and Occupation.

Peoples Feet a Sure Indication of Their
Temperament and Occupation.
"Palmistry is the new art, l under.
stand, for delineating character, re-
marked smart young detective, cor
rather, it very old one revived, but
for our business the hands don't show
half so much character as the feet. In
foot-gear, if the subject be properly
studied, there will be found more to in
dicate the character of the wearer than
most people have any idea of. It's
quite an easy matter for man to dis
guise his facial appearance; it may be
done by dyeing the hair or beard, or by
cutting off the hair close, or by shaving
the beard, or by wearing it in a different
style; but man old enough to wear
beard can never disguise his walk, he
can't destroy the conformation of his
feet, and if he have a tendency to run
his shoes down in the heel it's an in
valuable piece of information to the de-
tective who wants him. just to illus
trate how this works Ill tell you story.
"Not great while ago received
tin-type picture of a young man who
was wanted in the East. 1t was very
bad picture; part of the face was
blurred, and only the eyes and nose
were visible with distinctness and char
acter enough to make it a comparative
ly easy matter to pick out our man
should we ever meet him. His cloth
ing was well pictured, and its style, cut
and finish gave us an idea as to where
we might expect to run across such a
fellow. The clothing was nothing if
not flashy, and we concluded it would
be the style of dress small-fry gam
bier would banker after. We went to
a gambling-house, and pretty soon we
met young who looked exactly like
| the party we wanted. We were Just
about to take hold of him. when his
| double, man having his features, the
color of his hair and eyes, turned up,
and for an instant we didn't know what
| to do.
EITHER one of those two men might
have been taken for the original of the
tintype, and we don't know which was
which. From their shoulders up the
resemblance was astonishing, but it
ended there. The utmost difference in
their appearance was noted when the
men commenced to stir about. Our
man was a waiter by occupation, and
we observed that one of the men while
walking strobe on boldly, putting out
one foot in front of the other in almost
two straight lines, while the other fell
low toed out, and when he walked it
was apparently, as much as he could
do to keep his heels from striking to-
gether. My partner looked at him a
moment and said: That is a waiter.
"'How do you knowP" | asked"
"'See how he walks was the reply.
He puts out each foot sideways as if he
feared he was going to get tripped up
on account of his long apron. Nearly
all walters toe out because of their long
aprons. He's got the walk, and that's
our man.
"Well, it turned out to be true. He
was our man, and it was the simple
matter of his style of walk. due to the
conformation of his feet, that led to his
arrest We got him just in time, as he
had considerable money with him, and
he had decided to leave town at once.
Now that was clear case in proof of
the character that is manifested in feet
and in foot-gear, both shoes and boots.
He walked with his toes turned out
far out-and we knew that man with
al. apron in front of him reaching to
the bottom of his trousers naturally
walks so that he strikes each foot
against the farthest side of the apron,
thus to prevent its tripping him up.
Teamsters, or those of them who wear
long rubber coats, do the same thing.
Sometimes the character of mans
thoughts can be pretty nearly deter
mined by the way in which he walks
when his mind is busy. Thieves and
foxy people in general walk very much
like cat.
"But there is just as much character
in boots and shoes as there is in the
feet that wear them. It's common
belief that big foot is sure sign of
good nature. Ny observation goes to
show it's sure sign of a very coarse
nature. Then there is the long, slender
shoe of the nervous crank and the
short, wide boot of the pig-headed in
dividual, who is just as much a crank.
Look at the sandal worn by the Chi.
nese; don't they suggest feeble intel
lcct? Then think of the old wooden
shoes worn by the old-country peas
ants; ain they perfectly adapted to the
rough work out of doors? And see
too, the moccasin of the Indian; what
better would suit his peculiar needs?
"Oh, yes; there is a good deal o.
character in boots and shoes, especial
ly if they are old ones. ."-7eras He,os,